Clothes-drier



(No Model.)

. P. J. MESLEIN.

CLOTHES DRIER.

Patented Oct. 23, 1894.

VENTOH 41 /flm/lylm ATTOHNEKS WITNESSES. (Z

THE nouns PETER: ca. Pnorau'ruu. wnsumqmu. n. c

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

PETER J. MESLEIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLOTH ES -DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,870, dated October 23, 1894. Application filed January 8, 18 94- Serial No. 496,071. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:-

Be it known that I, PETER J. MESLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Olothes-Dricrs; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usothe same.

My invention relates to clothes driers, and more especially to the class that may be easily manipulated by the operator for'conveniently placing the clothes thereon, and then readily adjusted to a position whereby the clothes are subjected most effectually to the drying pro cess. Its objects are to provide a convenient and portable device embracing a suspended clothes frame capable of being folded and held in such folded position while the clothes are being'placed on either side, the lines or receptacles for the clothes being by reason of the folded position of the frame within easy reach of the operator, and also in means for expanding and elevating the holder or clothes frame to any desired height and in providing suitable stops whereby its downward movement is arrested at a suitable height to prevent the clothes thereon froin contacting with the ground.

It consists in certain details of construction, and arrangementof parts, hereinafter more particularly described in the specification, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device showing the clothes frame in a partially folded position for receiving the clothes. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, showing the position of the frame when in use and about to be raised to the po-' sition shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the joints of the hinged end pieces by means of which the frame is folded. Fig. 4 is a detail showing one of the pulleys and the stop on the elevation rope operating in conjunction therewith.

Referring more specifically to the'drawings in which like parts are indicated by like letters, A represents a rectangular frame of any suitable or desired size, consisting of the side and end pieces a mortised or joined at the corners and supported by uprights or legs a, a of which I preferably employ three, placing two at one end and one at the opposite end. Upon the underside of this frame at each corner are secured pulleys B.

E represents the clothes tram e or drier on which the clothes are hung, and consists of the end pieces E divided at their center and united by hinges e, longitudinal rods 6' uniting the outer ends and forming the sides, and a stifiening rod e at or near the center at one side of the pivoting hinges.

I represents the clothes-lines extending longitudinally across the frame and secured to the end pieces E.. This clothes frame is suspended beneath the frame A by cords F, secured at each corner at the points f and extending up over the pulleys B, and their ends united at the points g, g with a central cord G-extending longitudinally across the center of frame A, from the point 9 to and over a pulley O secured on the under side of the outer end of the frame A, thence back to a pulley D upon the opposite or near end of v the frame, over which its end G is passed and allowed to depend to a securing hook or catch H in leg or standard (1, to which it is designed to besecured when the clothes frame is raised to an elevated position.

J is a latch bar consisting of a strip of wood or metal, one end of which is pivotally secured to the outer face of one of the end pieces E of the clothes frame near one side,

its opposite end being free. Its lower edge is provided with one or more notches j designed to engage with a hook j located in the outer face of the end piece E on its opposite side, and to hold the clothes frame in a folded, or partially folded, position as shown in Fig. 1, whereby the clothes lines I are placed within easy reach for conveniently hanging the clothes thereon. The hook 9'' also serves as a rest or retainer for the outer end of the setter when the frame occupies a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2.

A setter J at one end of the clothes frame is generally found sufficient, but for convenience I usually provide one at each end.

Having described the various parts of my device in detail, I will proceed to describe its operation.

For convenience in storing, the legs or standards a a of the frame A are so made as to be easily detached. When my device is employed for drying purposes it is moved to the desired locality and the legs placed in position beneath frame A. The clothes frame E is then lowered by means of the cord G until the stops 1) upon the cords F are in contact with the pulleys B. As each of these stops comes in contact with its respective pulley at the same instant, the downward movement of the clothes frame is arrested and the frame held in a perfectly horizontal position at a proper height from the ground as shown in Fig. 2. The center of the frame is then raised and by means of the hinges e, its sides are brought near together, the latch bar J slides forward over the hookj until the notch j is reached and engages the hook, and the frame is securely held in its folded position. Shown in Fig.1. The clothes to be dried are then placed upon the lines I, beginning with the upper, until the clothes frame is filled. The setter is then disengaged from the hookj and the frame assumes again its horizontal position. Shown in Fig. 2. It is then elevated to the desired height by haul- .ing down the end G of the cord which is then secured to the fastener H, and the drying process proceeds.

I am aware that clothes driers consisting of clothes frames suspended by ropes or cords running over fixed pulleys and adapted to be raised or lowered, have been heretofore used, and I do not broadly claim this; but

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure ters Patent, is-

In a portable clothes drier, the rectangular frame provided with sockets to receive the ends of removable legs and with fixed pulleys at its corners, the removable legs having shouldered ends adapted to fit into the sockets of the frame, a rectangular clothes frame made in two parts centrally hinged together, suspending-cords attached to the corners of the clothes frame and extending over the pulleys in the suspending frame then united with a single cord between the pulleys whereby the clothes frame may be raised. or lowered in a horizontal position within the suspending frame, and the latch bar pivoted at the end of the hinged clothes frame whereby the latter may be held in a folded position while the clothes are being placed thereon and will automatically assume a horizontal position when the latch is unhooked, all combined and arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER J. MESLEIN.

by Let- Witnesses:

R. A. BURTON, HARRY T. ASPERN. 

